Gluten intolerance is also referred to as "celiac disease," "celiac sprue" or "gluten-sensitive enteropathy." It is caused by your body’s inability to digest gluten-containing foods. The overall effect of gluten intolerance is nutrient malabsorption. This means your body does not get enough essential nutrients. A shortage of digested calories can lead to weight loss. Additionally, too little vitamin B-12 can lead to anemia and a lack of calcium will lead to abnormal muscle function.
Causes of Intolerance
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 2 million people in the United States have gluten intolerance. Thomas Nowak and A. Gordon Handford discovered research that links celiac disease to an early childhood viral infection. The virus structure is similar to that of gluten. After the infection, gluten from your diet causes your body to think it is under attack again from the virus. The cause is also believed to be genetic, but its genetic etiology is unclear.
Gluten
Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and millet. It is made of two proteins, glutenin and gliadin. The gliadin portion is the primary cause of intolerance. It is made of the specific amino acid sequences that cause negative reactions of celiac disease by mimicking viruses or other toxic invaders. Instead of being eliminated by the antibodies, gluten builds up in the intestinal wall, eventually damaging the mucosal wall.
Cause of Body Aches with Gluten Intolerance
Gluten intolerance is easily overlooked because symptoms are widespread and irregular. Common symptoms you may experience are muscle aches, fatigue and joint pain. The malabsorption condition causes inadequate levels of calcium and magnesium to reach your bones, heart and muscles. This leads to systemic body aches, muscle cramps and irregular heart beats. The systemic body aches mimic conditions such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. Your physician should be consulted, especially if pain lingers more than a week.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Blood tests designed to detect specific antibodies help your physician determine if you have gluten intolerance. Gluten intolerances causes your body to produce two antibodies, immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG). Measurement of IgA levels is the most accurate. The IgA antibody is not found in the blood of those eating a gluten-free diet. Gluten intolerance is a lifelong condition. Once diagnosed, eliminating gluten from your diet is the only known effective treatment.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC); September 2008
- "Pathophysiology: Concepts and Applications for Health Care Professionals"; Thomas Nowak and A. Gordon Handford; 2004
- "Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 3rd Edition"; K. Pagana and T. Pagana; 2006
- MayoClinic.com: Celiac Disease; December 2010
